“Watershed Restoration in the Sierra Nevada”

The issue isn't jobs vs. the environment. It never has been. A new report, Watershed Restoration in the Sierra Nevada, shows clearly that the real issue is which jobs and what type of environment.

"There's a consensus that watershed restoration is needed in the Sierra," says co-author Deanna Spooner of the Pacific Rivers Council. "The difficulty has been developing an ecologically sound strategy that also realistically identifies costs and benefits. This report does just that."

As one of the authors, economist Ernie Niemi of ECONorthwest explains, "The key to our approach is recognizing that the different groups tussling over watershed resources are, in effect, economic competitors."

COMPETING ECONOMIC INTERESTS--AN EXAMPLE

Grazing affects more acres of Forest Service land than any other land use in the Sierra Nevada. Cattle and sheep graze more than 7 million acres or 62 percent of national forest lands. However, the tremendous ecological impact of the industry far outweighs its economic benefits.

A Department of Agriculture study in 1995 found that grazing accounted for less than 1 percent of the goods and services produced by the National Forests. Compare this to the economic impact of recreation which shares the same watersheds in the Sierra Nevada and accounted for 75 percent of the goods and services. Commercial whitewater rafting alone generates in excess of $49 million annually.

Reducing grazing by 50 percent on federal lands on the west side of the Sierra Nevada would eliminate about 145 livestock-industry jobs. But, as our economic analysis shows, the change would result in new jobs, less damage to the environment, and cleaner water for downstream users.

Grazing is just one of many examples of environmentally damaging land management activities cited in the report. Logging, dams and roads also degrade watersheds.

FOCUS ON ECONOMICS

The heart and soul of the report is the economic cost/benefit analysis. "Most economic analyses recognize the costs of watershed rehabilitation," says Niemi. But they forget to factor in the benefits. And the benefits can substantially outweigh the costs.

A thorough economic analysis must also consider the benefits of restoration, including construction jobs in road decommissioning, improved water quality and quantity, improved recreational opportunities and their associated jobs, funds saved by not subsidizing timber sales or grazing allotments, and more.

RESTORATION

The report challenges the classic restoration formula: trying to recover a semblance of health at the worst sites. "That's backwards," says Spooner. "It results in the least recovery to the ecosystem at the highest cost. Instead, the priority should be on identifying and protecting the best remaining aquatic habitats. These intact areas serve as the anchor for rebuilding the rest of the watershed."

The prescription for watershed restoration in the Sierra Nevada includes:

1. Do no harm protect the best ecologically-significant areas as anchors for other restoration efforts.

2. Suspend grazing in critical areas, including riparian zones and key habitats for sensitive or endangered species.

3. Cease new road construction and decommission roads in sensitive areas.

4. Stop logging in roadless areas, riparian areas and other important watersheds.

5. Prohibit new dam construction.

These passive steps would prevent additional damage to watersheds throughout the Sierra Nevada, setting the stage for more active restoration of these watersheds.

BENEFITING SIERRA COMMUNITIES

Bill Center; formerly on the Board of Supervisors for El Dorado County and an active participant in watershed management in the central Sierra, was one of many expert advisors to the report. "A lot of the watershed problems that Sierra communities face today are a result of narrowly focused land use decisions," Center commented. "This report shows that a broader approach allows us to balance the ecological, economic, and societal costs and achieve healthy and productive watersheds far into the future. This report will be a great asset for counties, local governments and watershed groups throughout the region."

The report and an executive summary can be viewed and downloaded at www.pacificrivers.org.